http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2016/03/01/february_2016_s_shocking_global_warming_temperature_record.html
It is no secret that there have been severe increases in a temperature and signs of devastating climate change occurring, yet one milestone that seemed so far off has has already been approached (almost overnight). The Northern Hemisphere has reached 2 degrees Celsius above "normal" as of last Thursday. This 2 degree mark has been what many have considered to be when climate change and global warming become extraordinarily dangerous. While the average for February is somewhat lower than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, it has shown increases in temperature between 1.15 and 1.4 degrees. An even more damaging analysis showed that between industrialization and last October, the average grew one degree, yet in the past five months, it has risen between .15 and .4 degrees. While many are quick to attribute this severe increase in temperature to El Nino, it has only been estimated that it causes global temperatures to rise by .1 degrees. These increases in temperature are even more drastic in places like the Arctic, where El Nino has less (if any) of an influence on.
This calls attention to the climate change deals in Paris. Action needs to happen almost instantaneously if we do not wish the 2 degrees Celsius to become a commonality for the entire world. The issue of climate change, while always pressing, is even more unpredictable and rapidly approaching than thought of before. There are no "normal" temperatures anymore, only more rapidly increasing ones.
It is no secret that there have been severe increases in a temperature and signs of devastating climate change occurring, yet one milestone that seemed so far off has has already been approached (almost overnight). The Northern Hemisphere has reached 2 degrees Celsius above "normal" as of last Thursday. This 2 degree mark has been what many have considered to be when climate change and global warming become extraordinarily dangerous. While the average for February is somewhat lower than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, it has shown increases in temperature between 1.15 and 1.4 degrees. An even more damaging analysis showed that between industrialization and last October, the average grew one degree, yet in the past five months, it has risen between .15 and .4 degrees. While many are quick to attribute this severe increase in temperature to El Nino, it has only been estimated that it causes global temperatures to rise by .1 degrees. These increases in temperature are even more drastic in places like the Arctic, where El Nino has less (if any) of an influence on.
This calls attention to the climate change deals in Paris. Action needs to happen almost instantaneously if we do not wish the 2 degrees Celsius to become a commonality for the entire world. The issue of climate change, while always pressing, is even more unpredictable and rapidly approaching than thought of before. There are no "normal" temperatures anymore, only more rapidly increasing ones.